Re: We realize that certain facts included here would, under other
maur...@tiscali.it
from any thing like enthusiastic wildness. And they have talked, when
able to speak, of the glory of God's perfections, the wonderfulness of
His grace in Christ, and their own unworthiness, in such a manner as
cannot be perfectly expressed after them. Their sense of their exceeding
littleness and vileness, and their disposition to abase themselves
before God, has appeared to be great in proportion to their light and
joy.
Such persons amongst us as have been thus distinguished with the most
extraordinary discoveries, have commonly nowise appeared with the
assuming, self-conceited, and self-sufficient airs of enthusiasts, but
exceedingly the contrary. They are eminent for a spirit of meekness,
modesty, self-diffidence, and a low opinion of themselves. No persons
appear so sensible of their need of instruction and so eager to receive
it, as some of them; nor so ready to think others better than
themselves. Those that have been considered as converted amongst us,
have generally manifested a longing to lie low and in the dust before
God; withal complaining of their not being able to lie low enough.
They speak much of their sense of excellency in the way of salvation by
free and sovereign grace, through the righteousness of Christ alone; and
how it is with delight that they renounce their own righteousness, and
rejoice in having no account made of it. Many have expressed themselves
to this purpose, that it would lessen the satisfaction they hope for in
heaven to have it by their own righteousness, or in any other way than
as bestowed by free grace, and for Christ's sake alone. They speak much
of the inexpressibleness of what they experience, how their words fail,
so that t